Of Mice and Men
Describe the relationship between George and Lennie and how is it portrayed throughout the novella
‘Of Mice and Men’ is a ‘circular’ novella written by John Steinbeck which follows the lives of two travelling workers in 1930’s America. It is set during the ‘Great Depression’ and the author uses the everyday harsh conditions of that time as a basis for the novella. He focuses mainly on two characters, George Milton and Lennie Small who are opposites of each other, but still travel together. The initial descriptions of the two men help the reader understand the characters and aid in illustrating their relationship. Men travelling together at this time were an unusual sight to see, so there is obviously a strong bond between them. Steinbeck explores many different angles of George and Lennie’s relationship throughout the novella and he also uses the viewpoints of the other characters to change the way their relationship is seen.
‘The first man was small and quick, dark of face with restless eyes and sharp, strong features’. This describes the way that George is presented with ‘defined’ traits. Lennie however is ‘a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes...he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws’. Steinbeck uses animal imagery many times throughout the novella to illustrate how Lennie is so much like an animal, for example ‘Drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse’. Indeed throughout the novella, Steinbeck refers to Lennie’s hands as ‘paws’. This image of a bear suggests someone big and strong but also someone quite slow. As the novella progresses it is obvious to the reader that Lennie has some learning difficulties and that he would be lost without the support of George who is both looking after and out for him. ‘Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and came back again. Lennie
‘Of Mice and Men’ is a ‘circular’ novella written by John Steinbeck which follows the lives of two travelling workers in 1930’s America. It is set during the ‘Great Depression’ and the author uses the everyday harsh conditions of that time as a basis for the novella. He focuses mainly on two characters, George Milton and Lennie Small who are opposites of each other, but still travel together. The initial descriptions of the two men help the reader understand the characters and aid in illustrating their relationship. Men travelling together at this time were an unusual sight to see, so there is obviously a strong bond between them. Steinbeck explores many different angles of George and Lennie’s relationship throughout the novella and he also uses the viewpoints of the other characters to change the way their relationship is seen.
‘The first man was small and quick, dark of face with restless eyes and sharp, strong features’. This describes the way that George is presented with ‘defined’ traits. Lennie however is ‘a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes...he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws’. Steinbeck uses animal imagery many times throughout the novella to illustrate how Lennie is so much like an animal, for example ‘Drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse’. Indeed throughout the novella, Steinbeck refers to Lennie’s hands as ‘paws’. This image of a bear suggests someone big and strong but also someone quite slow. As the novella progresses it is obvious to the reader that Lennie has some learning difficulties and that he would be lost without the support of George who is both looking after and out for him. ‘Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and came back again. Lennie